Back Home
by AnnCarter
Summary: The Replicators have been defeated and Elizabeth is finally back home. While waiting for the rest of her expedition to return, she takes the time to get to know her city once again. (Sort of in the end of 3x11 The Return II; mostly Elizabeth but tiny bits of J/E romance)


**AN:** Another one from the old John/Elizabeth box...

 **All rights for Stargate Atlantis are MGM's. I own nothing.**

* * *

Elizabeth looked around her, smiling. She couldn't – nor did she want to – take that smile off her face. The city was back under their control. General O'Neill let them stay in the city. And he even let John stay. Everybody was fine. Every _thing_ was fine.

Taking a deep breath, she let her eyes drift shut for a moment. It was the first time she's ever seen Atlantis so quiet, so... empty. Jack, Carson and the others – even Rodney, though he fell asleep in the middle of a discussion before they managed to convince him to get some sleep – were in their rooms in the Daedalus. For the first time in two and a half years, she was completely alone. The only living soul in the city.

There was something weird about being at the empty control room. After two and a half years, she got used to people around there. Even at night there was a small crew there, if only to make sure nothing happens. She smiled again as she reminded herself she was also used to have furniture in her office. The empty office appeared in front of her closed eyes, the memory of walking back to the familiar room filling her mind.

After a long moment, she opened her eyes and continued walking.

She couldn't not to smile again as she looked at the gate and could almost see her expedition coming through, studying the room around them with wonder and joy. They loved the city as much as she loved it. And she knew some people would find it strange, but Elizabeth always believed the city was alive, just like them, and that it loved them as much as they loved it.

She continued her tour. She couldn't help but touch everything; it was almost as though she was getting to know the city all over again. She touched the tables gently, almost stroking them. Finally, she was back home.

She stopped briefly when she found herself walking out to the balcony. She smiled slightly as she understood she wasn't even thinking, just walking. She waved her hand in front of the panels and stepped outside when the door opened, letting her back into that space. It just showed her how much this place meant for her. Not that she didn't know it.

She stood there a long moment, silently looking at the city and the ocean. The breeze was somewhat colder now, telling Elizabeth that soon it'll be winter, and that she'd better get something warmer to wear. But she didn't move. She liked it when it was almost cold.

She started shivering a few minutes later. Or at least, she _thought_ it was a matter of minutes. It could have been minutes, but it could have been hours just the same. Not too many hours, though; it was still dark outside. But although she was shivering, she didn't want to go in. Not just yet.

She was starting to lose feeling in her fingers when she felt a warm blanket against her back. She felt the arms – _his_ arms – putting it around her, staying around her a little more than necessary to wrap her in it. She smiled again. She knew, even though it wasn't a conscious thought, that he'll be there. She was sure he will.

"A little cold, don't you think?" He asked quietly, looking at her.

She turned her head to look at him. "A little, yeah," She agreed, noticing he had a blanket around him as well. Unlike her, though, he didn't seem to be cold. Maybe he thought she'd resist if he doesn't have a blanket as well. The truth was, she was grateful for it, whether or not he had one as well.

They stood there in silence for a moment before he spoke again. "Came to look at the city?" He asked quietly, his voice soft. She looked at him in surprise. She'd never heard him talking like that.

Seeing as he wouldn't respond to her surprise, she let it go and simply nodded. "To be in the city," She replied quietly. "It feels… right."

"Yeah," He agreed, his voice still soft and quiet. "I know. It feels like we're…"

"Back home," She completed. He nodded briefly, a smile playing over his lips. "How long have you been here?" She asked after a moment of silence.

"A couple of hours, I think. Came down here the moment General O'Neill released me," He added. She turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow. "He just wanted to… clarify a few things," She couldn't not to smile slightly. He smiled himself, knowing what she was thinking about. It was so expected. "I heard you came down here even earlier," He added casually, his tone somewhat questioning.

It wasn't a question she could answer, though. "I did?" She asked, looking at him in surprise once again.

"Yup."

She looked at her watch, unable to believe she'd been in the city for that long. But her watch merely told her what John did; it was almost three in the morning, four hours since she left the Daedalus. She shook her head to herself. She still couldn't quite believe it.

"I guess I couldn't wait," She admitted, smiling.

He returned her a smile. "I can understand that," He said, looking at her. Then he nodded slightly and turned back to the city. "I can definitely understand that".

She turned her head back to the ocean and the city, looking at the familiar shapes in the darkness. Her fingers gently slid on the railing, and she smiled at the feeling. She everything will finally go back to normal now that they were back in Atlantis. Now that they were back _home_.

A few minutes later, John shifted slightly until he was once again standing behind her. At least, she thought it's been a few minutes. She'd already proven to herself that time passed faster when she was in Atlantis. She couldn't help but smile at the thought.

"What?" He asked softly, noticing her smile.

"We're back home," She said quietly, suddenly realising it was true. It was as if there was a part of her that wouldn't believe it; as if there was a part of her that was certain it couldn't be true. But in that moment, even that part gave in, understanding that it _was_ true. They really were back home. And that made her happier than she thought she could ever be.

Behind her, John nodded. "I heard General O'Neill said we can stay."

She nodded slowly. "He did. Said we deserve it or something. You know him," She added lightly, thinking about her time in the Stargate Command.

"Not really," He said, and she laughed quietly. She could almost _feel_ his smile. "Anyway, you know what it means," He added a minute later.

She turned to look at him. "It means," She replied quietly, looking into his eyes, "That we're back home."

"Until something else happens," He added, giving her his lopsided grin. "Then we'll have to go through this all over again."

She smiled back. "We'll be alright," was all she said before turning around again, looking at the quiet ocean and the city that she thought she'd never see again. She felt his arms wrap around her, hesitantly at first but more firmly when she didn't resist, and she smiled again.

"Welcome back home, 'Lizabeth," He murmured into her hair.

She merely smiled and leaned back in his arms, finally allowing herself relax. She was back in her city, her closest friends with her. Soon enough, her expedition - her _family -_ would be back as well. And of course, she had John Sheppard with her. What could be better?

 _Nothing,_ She thought, looking at her home. _Nothing could ever be better than this._


End file.
